Method for packing carbonated beverages into containers using electromagnetic energy

ABSTRACT

A METHOD FOR PACKING CARBONATED BEVERAGES INTO CONTAINERS IS DISCLOSED. A CONTAINER IS ALMOST BUT NOT COMPLETELY FILLED THROUGH AN INLET OPENING THEREOF WITH A CARBONATED BEVERAGE, AN UNFILLED SPACE REMAINING BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF THE BEVERAGE AND THE INLET OPENING. INFRARED ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES OR MICROWAVES ARE DIRECTED THROUGH THE INLET OPENING INTO THE BEVERAGE, THERBY LIBERATING THE   CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE CARBONATED BEVERAGE SO THAT THE CARBON DIOXIDE FORMS GAS BUBBLES WHICH FORM A LAYER OF FOAM ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE LIQUID, FILLING THE EMPTY SPACE IN THE CONTAINER AND EXPELLING RESIDUAL AIR FROM THIS EMPTY SPACE. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER THE INLET OPENING IS FLUID-TIGHTLY SEALED.

N M. A El m l Tam N ,R 525 d VK n Nfiw d S A w# 8 w a m 5 9 u m x Y 4////n//// B L H 1% v r :2 :K g X y 4, 1972 N. A. ELSNER EI'AL MEIHOD FORPACKING CARBONATED BEVERAGES INTO CONTAINERS USING ELECTROMAGNETICENERGY Filed Dec.

United States Patent Olfice 3,674,513 Patented July 4, 1972 3,674,513METHOD FOR PACKING CARBONATED BEVER- AGES INTO CONTAINERS USING ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENERGY Nils Ake Eisner, Hagersten, and Hans Erik Nilson,Stockholm, Sweden, assignors to Infrarodteknik AB, Vanersborg, SwedenFiled Dec. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 886,106 Claims priority, applicationSweden, Dec. 20, 1968, 17,558/ 68 Int. Cl. B65b 55/16 US. Cl. 99-217 1Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method for packing carbonatedbeverages into containers is disclosed. A container is almost but notcompletely filled through an inlet opening thereof with a carbonatedbeverage, an unfilled space remaining between the level of the beverageand the inlet opening. Infrared electromagnetic waves or microwaves aredirected through the inlet opening into the beverage, thereby liberatingthe carbon dioxide in the carbonated beverage so that the carbon dioxideforms gas bubbles which form a layer of foam above the level of theliquid, filling the empty space in the container and expelling residualair from this empty space. Immediately thereafter the inlet opening isfluid-tightly sealed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally tothe packing of carbonated beverages into containers, and moreparticularly to a method for effecting such packing and to an apparatusfor carrying out the method.

conventionally the filling of containers with carbonated beverages, andthe subsequent sealing of these containers, is known as bottlingirrespective of the fact whether the container is in fact a bottle, acan or another recptacle. In the present specification the term packinghas been used to make it unmistakably clear that the invention isapplicable irrespective of the type of container, that is that it isapplicable to bottles, cans and other vessels. This term, therefore, isequivalent to the expression bottling in the broadest sense thereof.

Carbonated beverages, such as malt beverages and the so-called softdrinks, are produced and packed into receptacles in exceedingly largequantities. Given this large-volume production, and taking it inconjunction with existing distribution and stocking conditions, it isreadily understandable that a considerable time usually elapses betweenthe packing of the beverages into their receptacles and the opening ofthe receptacles for consumption purposes. Therefore, if air becomesenclosed in the receptacle when the same is sealed after filling, thepresence of such air in the receptacle containing the beverage overthese relatively long periods of time results in a deleterious influenceon the quality of the beverage by oxidation.

Because this is evidently undesirable many attempts have been made toreduce the content of sealed-in air in the beverage receptacles to aslow a factor as possible. In particular, the gas cushion above thesurface of the liquid-it must be remembered that receptacles forcarbonated beverages are never completely filledmust include as littleair as possible. An accepted way of achieving this is to cause thebeverage to foam before the receptable is sealed, in order that the foammay fill the free space above the level of the liquid in the containerand thereby expell air from the same, whereupon the container is thenclosed. The cushion of gas then remaining in the empty space above theupper level of the liquid in the thus-closed container is composedmostly of carbon dioxide.

Various approaches to producing the foaming have become known. Some ofthese are mechanical and involve the use of devices which in part knocksor taps the container. Others use ultrasonic waves and still othersinvolve directing a jet of liquid which is preferably freed of air, orof carbon dioxide, into the free space in the container. Unfortunately,all of these approaches suffer from certain disadvantages. Themechanical devices carry with them the constant danger that thereceptacle might be damaged or broken, particularly if it is a bottle ofglass. Furthermore, they as well as devices using ultrasonic wavesrequire constant readjustment during operation to produce precisely theproper quantity of foam, because too little foam would not expel the airadequately and too much foam-so-called over foaming-impairs the intendedresults and may cause what is known in the trade as net-filling, that issome of the liquid contents of the container may be lost due toover-foaming with the foam escaping through the inlet opening of thecontainer. It should be mentioned here that this overfoaming sometimesalso occurs without any apparent reason, possibly due to defects of thefilling apparatus and/or the container involved, but that it will ofcourse be equally objectionable regardless how it is caused. Finally,the use of a fluid jet to remove air from the free space of a receptaclehas also not been found entirely satisfactory, on the one hand becauseit makes it most diflicult to maintain the contents of the containersterile and on the other hand it is almost impossible to avoid that airis being carried along and introduced into the free space by the jet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, a general object of thepresent invention to provide a method of packing carbonated beveragesinto containers which is not possessed of the aforementioneddisadvantages.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod to produce and control foaming of carbonated beverages partiallyfilling a container, to thereby expell air from the free interior spaceof the container.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an apparatus forcarrying out the method.

In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparenthereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a method of packingcarbonated beverages into containers which, briefly stated, comprisesintroducing into a container through an inlet opening thereof a quantityof carbonated beverage requisite for filling most but not all of thevolume of said container, so that an unfilled space remains between thelevel of the beverage and the inlet opening. Into the beverage we thendirect electromagnetic waves. The radiation particularly suitable forthis purpose consists of electromagnetic radiation within the range ofthe infra-red electromagnetic freqeuncy spectrum of an intensityrequisite for causing foaming of the beverage to the extent that thedeveloping foam will fill the space and thereby expell residual air fromthe same. Now, the inlet opening is immediatley fluid-tightly sealed toprevent the escape of liquid from the interior of the container and toprevent the entry of air thereinto.

The electromagnetic waves are supplied in form of a beam composed ofwaves predominantly within the range of infrared radiation. Inaccordance with the invention it is absolutely unnecessary that there beany connection whatever between the device producing the electromagneticwaves and the beverage, or the container in which the beverage isaccommodated. Because of this no mechanical damage to the container ispossible, and the importation of possible contaminants into thecontainer and the beverage therein as a result of the use of suchconnecting means-for instance a fluid jet-is reliably precluded. Infact, the present invention brings about the additional advantage thatthe radiant energy employed has a sterilizing effect so that treatmentin accordance with the present invention not only produces the primaryintended result-namely expulsion of residual air from the package orcontainer before the same is closed but also assures sterility of thecontainer and its contents.

Excess foaming or over foaming can be reliably controlled in accordancewith the present invention by varying the energy of the electromagneticwaves, the duration for which the contents of a container are exposed tothe waves, and the radiation intensity. In all heretofore knownapproaches any excessive foamingwhether it had occurred unintended andspontaneously or as a result of the operation of whatever prior-artmethod was being employedwas always further increased by the respectiveprior-art methods and could not be controlled in any way. According tothe present invention, however, this control is very simple in that, asthe thickness of the layer of foam above the upper surface of thebeverage exceeds a. predetermined value-determined by the radiationintensity-the radiation can no longer penetrate to the upper surface ofthe beverage and stimulate the development of further carbon dioxidebubbles. Instead, it then acts within the foam layer breaking down thebubbles in the region of the upper surface thereof and causing them toburst, whereby the excessive foaming is simply and reliably controlled.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claim. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side-elevationillustrating an arrangement employing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectioned partly diagrammatic detail view, on anenlarged scale, showing an arrangement according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the upperportion of a container in which the development of foam has beenstimulated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing firstly FIG. 1 ofthe drawing in detail it will be seen that reference numeral 1identifies generally and diagrammatically a drive in an apparatus forfilling carbonated beverages into containers such as cans or bottles. Norepresentation is made that such apparatus per se is novel, and theinvention can be used with many existing bottling machines. Referencenumeral 2 in FIG. 1 identifies a relay or similar control device.Reference numeral 3 is a conveyor belt on which containers-hereidentified as bottles 4, and 6-are advanced in the direction of thearrow first to a filling station which is shown diagrammatically, thento a device according to the present invention which is identified withreference numeral 7 and subsequently to a closing station which is alsoshown diagrammatically. Reference numeral 4 in FIG. 1 identifies abottle which is filled with a beverage and in whose residual interiorspace the development of foam has been stimulated to expel residual air;this bottle 4 is ready to be closed by means of the closure device 41:which is applied at the closing station. Reference numeral 5 identifiesa similar bottle containing beverage and being in process of having thedevelopment of foam stimulated by the device 7. Reference numeral 6identifies two bottles which 4 have received beverage at the fillingstation and are ready to advance to the device 7.

The device 7 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. It is a radiationgenerating device comprising a cover 8 which surrounds and containswithin it a radiation source 9 having a filament 11 which, whenelectrically energized produces electromagnetic waves or rays.

Reference numeral 10 identifies a parabolic cavity reflector, referencenumeral 14 identifies an additional parabolic reflector and referencenumeral 15 identifies yet a further parabolic cavity reflector having anopening 16 with which the open necks of the bottles 4, 5, 6 are seriallybrought into registry as these bottles advance on the conveyor 3. Onenerzigation of the filament 11 the rays 12 emitted thereby impinge uponthe concave side of the parabolic reflector 10 and are reflected in formof a beam 13 consisting of parallel rays which are directed against theinner side of the opposite parabolic reflector 15. This, in turn,reflects the rays of the beam 13 inwardly to the parabolic reflector 14from where they pass as a coherent beam 18 of rays or electromagneticwaves through the opening 16 to impinge upon beverage 19 contained inwhatever container-the bottle 5 in FIG. 2-is in registry with theopening 16. This ray 18 stimulates the formation of carbon dioxidebubbles in the region of the upper level of the beverage 19 so thatfoaming occurs above this upper level and a foam plug 20 develops whichfills the neck 4a of the bottle 4 shown in enlarged detail in FIG. 3 andcorresponding to the bottle 4 of FIG. 1. The relay 2 cooperates with thevarious other components of the bottling machine to energize andde-energize the device 7 in dependence upon whatever requirements aremade, for instance to energize it when a container is in registry withthe opening 16 and subsequently to de-energize it until the nextcontainer has moved into such registry. Such control functions, as othercomponents concerned with refrigeration of the beverage supply,dispensation of the beverage into the respective containers, protectionof the operators against contact with the beam 18, and the like, arewell known to those skilled in the art and are not discussed in detailbecause they do not form a part of the present invention. Similarly,devices for controlling the duration and intensity of the radiation arenot discussed in detail but are to be understood as diagrammaticallyrepresented by the device 2 of FIG. 1.

The operation of the arrangement according to the present invention isthought to be evident from the drawing and from what has been set forthherebefore. Let it be assumed that he beverage to be filled into thebottles 4, 5 and 6 is beer, then it will be realized that filling of thebottles ocours at the filling station shown in FIG. 1. As a rule the gascushion which forms above the surface of the beer in the respectivecontainer measures approximately 3% of the volume of the container. Alarge part of this cushion consists of air which it is desired to expelin accordance with the present invention. Thus, when the bottles havebeen filled to a desired height they are advanced by the conveyor 3 indirection indicated by the arrow towards the closing station where aclosure 4b is to be applied. As they pass below and in registry with theopening 16 of the device 7 they are subjected to the action of the beam18 the duration and intensity of which may be adjusted and controlled inknown manner as outlined before.

The electromagnetic radiation of the beam 18 is primarily in thefrequency field of infrared radiation which produces in the region ofthe upper surface of the carbonated beveage 19 suflicient heat toliberate the cabon dioxide content ained in the beverage 19 so that thesame forms gas bubbles and the development of a foam plug 20 willresult. This plug 20 fills the neck of the bottle or the space above theupper liquid level in whatever container has been used, and expelsresidual air from this space. The container now has the appearanceillustrated in FIG. 3 and is immediately thereafter closed at theclosing station so that the beer contains no more oxygen than that whichis dissolved in the beer. This quantity is small enough not to affectthe desired stability of the beverage.

It has already been pointed out before that it occursand occurs actuallyquite frequentlythat beer or another carbonated beverage may foam duringfilling at the filling station. If this foaming is not positioned toexpel the residual air from the free space above the upper level of thebeverage 19, then the foaming will be completed when the respectivecontainer moves into registry with the device 7. If, on the other hand,excessive foaming has occurred at that time-or if excessive foamingoccurs as a result of the operation of the beam 18then the latter cannotpenetrate through foam plug 20 when the same exceeds a certainthickness. Therefore, instead of continuing to stimulate the developmentof carbon dioxide bubbles in the region of the surface of the beverage19, the beam 18 now bursts and breaks down the gas bubbles in the upperregion of the foam .plug 20, with the thus liberated liquid running backdown into the container. The overfoaming thus ceases and the foamingbecomes normal as desired. This is a very important considerationbecause it is known that overfoaming at times may be so abundant thatthe entire contents or a large portion of the contents of a container istransformed into foam and lost.

The beam 18 of course does not aspirate air into the respectivecontainers and therefore does not contribute to contamination of theinterior of the containers. It does, instead, have a sterilizing effecton the contents of the container and thus serves to preserve or increasethe sterility of the contents.

In an experiment made with the apparatus according to the presentinvention a beer having a alcohol content of 2.8% by weight Was filledinto bottles under such conditions that no foam was produced in therespective bottle. The beer was thereupon submitted to radiation from abeam of infrared waves, emanating from a source of radiation such asthat described herein and identified with reference numeral 7 in thedrawing. The beam entered through the open neck of the respectivebottles in vertically downward direction. Immediate formation of carbondioxide foam resulted and this foam filled the entire free space in theneck of the respective bottle to the upper open end thereof. Overfoamingdid not occur at any time. When radiation was directed into therespective containers for a prolonged period of time, that is for alonger period of time than is necessary in operation of the device toproduce the desired quantity of foam, the tendency of the foam was tobreak down. No break down occurred, however, when the contents of thebottles were exposed to radiation for only a period of time sufiicientto produce the condition shown in FIG. 3.

Tests carried out on the contents of the thus treated bottles, whichwere closed immediately subsequent to reaching the condition shown inFIG. 3, showed that the taste and other qualities of the beer were notdeleteriously influenced, but that the quality was improved by the factthat the air content in the filled bottles had been used to the desiredand acceptable value.

It should be understood that infrared radiation is not the onlyelectromagnetic energy suitable for carrying out the invention. Instead,the same results can be obtained and with beams 18 of shorter timeduration-with other types of electromagnetic radiation of higher energy,for instance with microwaves. However, it is recognized that the use ofmicrowaves would increase the operating expenses involved.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofuses differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anapparatus for packing carbonated beverages into containers, it is notintended to be limited to the details shown, since various modificationsand structural changes may be made without departing in any way from thespirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claim:

1. A method of packing carbonated beverages into containers, comprisingthe steps of introducing into a container through an inlet openingthereof a quantity of carbonated beverage requisite for filling most butnot all the volume of said container, so that an unfilled space remainsbetween the level of said beverage and said inlet opening; directinginto said beverage through said inlet opening electromagnetic waveswithin the range of infrared radiation requisite for causing foaming ofsaid beverage and form a foam layer of predetermined maximum thicknesswithin said space, so as to expel the residual air from the same, theintensity of said electromagnetic waves being adjusted so that saidelectromagnetic waves penetrate only said foam layer of predeterminedmaximum thickness so as to continue foaming of the beverage beneath saidfoam only until the same reaches said predetermined maximum thickness,said electromagnetic waves also collapsing the gas bubbles within saidfoam layer when the same exceeds said predetermined maximum thickness,whereby excess foaming is prevented and immediately thereafter,fluid-tightly sealing said inlet opening at a closing station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,088,831 5/1963 'Fauth et a1.99217 X 3,261,140 7/1966 Long et al. 99182 UX 2,672,420 3/ 1954 Jeremiah99-'79 3,350,839 11/1967 Carter 99-182 X 3,409,447 11/ 1968 Jeppson99217 X 3,063,846 11/1962 Polin 991 X 2,916,266 112/ 1959 Pray 9949 UXOTHER REFERENCES Food Processing, Packaging, Marketing, Janua1y 1953,vol. 22, pp. 4-7.

FRANK W. LUTTER, Primary Examiner S. L. WEINISTEIN, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

